The parlament of foules, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Ed., with introduction, notes, and glossary, by T. R. Lounsbury.

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INTRODUCTION.

At the lofty place and beautiful adornment,
She saw it replete in almost every corner
With spiritlings which, flying here and there,
Went to their bourne. Which she looking at,
(54.) XXXI.
Among the bushes beside a fountain
Saw Cupid forging arrows -
He having the bow set down by his feet;
Which [arrows] selected his daughter Voluptas
Tempered in the waves. And settled down
With them was Ease [Ozio, Otium]; whom she saw
That he, with Memory, steeled his darts
With the steel that she first tempered.
(55.) XXXII.
And then she saw in that pass Grace [Leggiadria]t
With Adorning [Adornezza] and Affability,
And the wholly estrayed Courtesy;
And she saw the Arts that have power
To make others perforce do folly,
In their aspect much disfigured.
The Vain Delight of our form
She saw standing alone with Gentilesse.
(56.) XXXIII.
Then she saw Beauty pass her by,
Without any ornament, gazing on herself;
And with her she saw Attraction (Piacevolezza) go, -
She [the prayer] commending to herself both one and other.
With them she saw standing Youth,
Lively and adorned, making great feast;
And on the other side she saw madcap Audacity
Going along with Glozings and Pimps.
(57.) XXXIV.
In mid the place, on lofty columns,
She saw a temple of copper; round which
She saw youths dancing and women -
This one of them beautiful, and that one in fine raiment,
Ungirdled, barefoot, only in their hair and gowns,
Who spent the day in this alone.
Then over the temple she saw doves hover
And settle and coo.